P
atrice Bevans craves color. When her family
moved into their San Franciso rental, she needed
to do something to make it feel like her own. Paint
was the easiest—and most economical—option.
“When you rent, there are only so many changes
you can make,” she says. Her idea was to capitalize
on the home’s traditional 1930s bones by envelop-
ing each room with a new shade. Fortunately for Patrice, she knew the
landlords well, and they gave her permission to paint.
“I purposely chose really strong colors for the walls and accesso-
ries,” says Patrice, who believes bold hues on the walls help a smaller
space live large. “I tend toward more neutral, textured fabrics for
larger pieces of furniture, and balance out the room with great
patterns and colors on pillows, ottomans, and smaller occasional
chairs. It’s those smaller pieces, the embellishments, that make a room
unique and worth spending time in.”
The Bevanses have spent more time in their apartment than they
ever expected. “This was all supposed to be temporary,” says Patrice.
“Our plan had been to buy a place within a year of moving in. But we
like it here so much, it’s become too difficult to leave.”
—
SEA OF BLUE
Patrice chose an icy blue for the
living room walls,
left.
“I like that
this color is soft and dreamy, but I
also needed a stronger accent
color to warm the room.”
Tangerine plays that role in the
lamps, throw pillows, wingback
chair, and rug. Patrice, Mike, Mary
Elizabeth, and Liam enjoy their
patio,
below.
Wall colon Ocean
Air, Benjamin Moore
WARM WELCOME
In the foyer,
right,
Patrice painted
an accent wall deep red-orange. “I
wanted something elegant but not
intimidating” she says. The color
stands up to the dining room’s
bright green and blends with the
oranges in the adjacent living
room. Golden accents shine
against it. Wall color: Ravishing
Red, Benjamin Moore
